Suppressed Warrior, Shrouded Revolutionary
by metallicgreen
Summary: After being groomed from birth to become Champion, Kotone's strict clan assigns her Pokemon for her Pokemon Journey, not all of which are willing to work with her. Her life is further complicated by Team Rocket, Silver, a potential uprising, and romance. Conspiracies, suspicion, and lots of yelling ahead.
1. Chapter 1

Once my sister and I had two gameboys between us, we'd use them to trade so we had the "ultimate team". Crafting the ultimate Pokemon team, or a team of favorite Pokemon, and sending that team to a new game is something that's become more and more common. I wondered how that would work in-game and the idea of a powerful clan training its members to become Champions was born.

This work is an attempt to explore the implications of sending a Pokemon team from an old game to a new game within the context of Heart Gold/Soul Silver.

This is more than a replay of Heart Gold/Soul Silver; this is a critique of common Pokemon fanfic tropes, a deconstruction of gaming tactics, and a close look at character development. I take certain liberties with Pokemon legends, abilities, and the Pokemon themselves to enhance the story.

This is a reposting of the story. Although the first two chapters remain the same, I've rewritten later chapters to better reflect the ideas I want to get across.

I imagine the Trainers to be somewhat older, perhaps in the 16-19 range.

For the "action replay" White/Black version of the story, see my other fic, _Spiraling Downfall of the Deus Ex Machina_.

Title: Suppressed Warrior, Shrouded Revolutionary

Summary: After being groomed from birth to become Champion, Kotone's strict clan assigns her Pokemon for her Pokemon Journey, not all of which are willing to work with her. Her life is further complicated by Team Rocket, Silver, a potential uprising, and romance.

Welcome! This is the story of a Trainer in Johto trained by the Minamoto clan to become Champion. Of course, she's up against the other Trainers of her clan, and only one can win and fulfill destiny.

* * *

Kotone knew the _R _stood for Team Rocket, but also knew that they had been shut down by one of the few Champions not of the Minamoto Clan three years back. She lingered, sensing something wasn't quite right.

- Chapter 4

* * *

_We derive our power from the Champion, just as his power is derived from us._

_Within these four walls, the cycle of Champions rises and falls._

_Our Champion uses our Pokemon for the good of our Clan._

_Your life begins on Judgment Day._

Kotone Minamoto's eyes traced the words etched in wood she'd heard her entire life. She closed her eyes to banish them, but the image of the three small signs hanging on the door across from her refused to disappear. She slouched into her chair, only to straighten back up at the thought of an elderly Minamoto Clan member catching her. The Minamoto Clan was always perfect.

Kotone had tried her best to become perfect for this moment, just like the other members of the Clan sitting in the waiting room with her. Usually, when such a large gathering of similarly aged youths occurred, the room exploded into joyous chatter, isles bridged by the relief of the elders not observing and evaluating every movement. Today, however, each boy and girl remained on his or her own island, individual concerns and worries splashing into the vast ocean that both separated and threatened to drown the group. Kotone couldn't be the only one struggling to remain calm - every exam, every exercise, every assignment boiled down to this day.

The Minamoto Clan bred and engineered future Champions; children were groomed and measured for potential until Judgment Day. The Clan invested in their potential future Champions by assigning them a low-level Pokemon team to train on this day.

For some, such as the promising boy who'd received a Lugia and other treasures, Judgment Day was the realization of a successful career. For others, like the bumbling girl whose third best Pokemon was a Caterpie, Judgment Day was the beginning of a cascading downfall into alcoholism.

Kotone didn't think a Caterpie was in her future, but she wished for a certain Pokemon more than anything in her heart of hearts. The Clan discouraged this kind of behavior, naturally - _Our Champion uses our Pokemon for the good of our Clan. _Members used the Pokemon they received, and nothing else. Kotone would be allowed to catch and train additional Pokemon in her free time, but using an unapproved Pokemon in an official battle was unheard of and downright scandalous.

Kotone's journey would be perfect if she received her dream Pokemon – a Cyndaquil. She loved the flames that bursted out of its body and how its final form towered upwards in a threateningly powerful way. Wishing for a Cyndaquil wasn't entirely unreasonable. Popularity factored into the Clan's choice, as the Champion's team had to be adored by fans, and the starter Pokemon of Kotone's region were always a big hit. Perhaps…

Kotone drifted out of her thoughts as the Judgment Room door opened. Every eye in the waiting room focused on the tall girl who appeared from it. Her eyes sank to the ground as if guided by gravity and a slight pink rose in her cheeks as she fiddled with his glasses and mumbled a name. A dark-haired boy sprang up to enter the Judgment Room. The girl scooted to the side to allow him access and closed the door behind him.

Kotone studied her face, trying to catch a glimpse of what had transpired in the Judgment Room. Was she instructed to obtain a Cyndaquil from Professor Elm? The girl said nothing as she crossed the room to the second door leading outside, clutching at her bag as if something of great importance resided inside. The room stared at her, transfixed and envious. Her steps outside marked the first steps of her Pokemon journey, and the resounding clank of the door shutting ended the magic. The room quickly returned to silently fretting about the fast-approaching future.

Kotone inconspicuously straightened her overalls. Waiting only served to make her more nervous. Cyndaquils danced in her head, which she tried to suppress. Hoping for a certain Pokemon was dangerous; she knew she should be trying to remember the tactics she learned to bond with her new team. That was the hardest part for most Trainers, as their Pokemon had most likely been partially trained by other Trainers. Granted, the Clan only gave out low-level teams, but Pokemon that had spent even a minute under a different Trainer's ownership were challenging to handle.

Horror stories swirled in Kotone's head…The Umbreon who slipped away from its Trainer into the night a few years ago…The Roserade whose Pin Missile took out its Trainer's eye…Kotone shivered, banishing the thought. She resumed staring at the door, wondering how much longer the dark-haired Trainer would be in there.

Another ten minutes passed, and the boy finally stepped out with a grateful look on her face. "Kotone?" He called in a clear voice, grasping his bag with the same air of importance as the girl before him.

Kotone stood up and obediently crossed the room and entered the Judgment Room, completely missing the encouraging smirk the boy threw at her before closing the door. Kotone blinked, surprised by her surroundings.

She stood alone in a small, poorly-lit room. A massive second door loomed in front of her, illuminated by a simple chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A Porygon-Z, the Clan's symbol, was carved into the wooden door. Bigger than life-size, the Pokemon seemed to hover just below the chandelier and wave Kotone forward. She approached the door, and the chandelier went out as soon as she touched the doorknob.

Cold air rushed forward as she yanked the door open and stepped into a second chamber of the Judgment Room. The complete blackness prevented her from judging the size of the room and observing its contents. Was this supposed to happen…?

"Hello?" she called meekly. A lamp fifteen feet away from her turned on, revealing a table with four Pokeballs and a Pokemon egg. Confused as to whether she should go to the table or not, Kotone bit her lip.

A voice suddenly boomed from all four sides.

_Generations ago, a man set out to travel the world._

_He was a wise man, and guarded his secrets well.  
He was a clever man, before whom secrets unfurled.  
He was a strong man, who could only be expected to excel._

_Generations ago, this man trained and assembled an unbeatable Pokemon team._

_He was a brilliant Trainer and soon gathered all badges in record time.  
He was a dedicated Trainer, who soon accomplished his dream.  
He was a legendary Trainer, once he became the Champion in his prime._

_Generations ago, this Trainer became determined to preserve his strength._

_He was a diligent Founder and created the Minamoto Clan.  
He was a caring Founder and for his Clan, he went to great lengths.  
He was an intelligent Founder and under his wings, our education began._

_Today, our Founder's teachings, secrets, and success live on in the Minamoto Clan ._

_We are a Clan devoted to raising the trainers who become Champions._

_Within these four walls, the cycle of Champions rises and falls._

_We derive our power from the Champion, just as his power is derived from us._

_Our Champion uses our Pokemon for the good of our Clan._

_Today, Trainer, your life begins._

Kotone recognized the voice as belonging to one of the Clan elders, but couldn't place it. A second male voice spoke up.

"Kotone? You are Kotone Minamoto, correct?"

Kotone straightened. "Yes." This was it…Everything she had ever dreamed off, everything she hoped to accomplish all rested on this moment.

"Good. You have been raised for this moment, but it's only the beginning. As a member of our Clan, you are obligated to attempt to become the Champion with the Pokemon on the table in front of you."

Kotone peered at the four Pokeballs and the Pokemon Egg. That was only five Pokemon total…Kotone's heart raced. That had to mean that only Professor Elm could give her her final Pokemon- a Cyndaquil! Relief flooded her senses.

" You will take the Pokeballs and the Pokemon Egg. You will exit the Judgment Room and instruct Wally to enter the Judgment Room, after which, you will speak with no one. You will walk to Professor Elm's Laboratory. He will offer you the choice between Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile."

Kotone knew the shadows hid her face and allowed a smile to break through her attentive expression.

"You will choose Chikorita."

Smile gone, Kotone's heart sank. Chikorita? How could she pick Chikorita when she was so close to her dream Pokemon?

"You will not examine or send out your other Pokemon until you have obtained Chikorita and are alone. Are there any questions or are these instructions clear?"

Kotone managed to croak out one word. "Clear."

"Pokemon Trainer Kotone, the clan thanks you for your contributions and encourages you to become the Champion. You will now send in Pokemon Trainer Chris."

The table shot forward as if propelled by Ghastly, stopping itself mere inches from Kotone's body. She hurriedly crammed the Pokeballs and the Pokemon Egg into her bag before turning. Unable to make out the door in the darkness, she waited a few seconds until the glowing outline of a Porygon-Z appeared on the door. Numb, she wandered back into the chandelier room, reentered the waiting room, and called Chris's name.

As a nervous Trainer slowly stood up, Kotone glanced at the chair she had been sitting in a mere fifteen minutes ago, when her future remained largely undecided. She left the waiting room, talking her first few steps into the future, an Egg and four unknown Pokeballs rolling around in her bag.

* * *

Later, Kotone wouldn't be able to recall a single second of the ten minute walk to Professor Elm's Laboratory. Her hands tingled with the thought of meeting her Pokemon team, quickening her pace.

Kotone arrived at the Laboratory distressed, made worse by the Cyndaquil that greeted her when she entered. It seemed to shake its nose at her before meandering over and plopping itself down in front of her. Kotone almost lost it when the Cyndaquil peered up at her and squeaked.

"I see you've met Cyndaquil!" Exclaimed a cheerful, young man with spiky hair. "I'm Professor Elm. You are…?"

"Kotone Minamoto."

"The Minamoto clan! Splendid. I was told a few of you were becoming Trainers today...Your clan requested some of my starter Pokemon." Elm trailed off, looked around, and frowned. Although the main area of his Lab was vast, it seemed to be almost entirely stuffed with desks and bookcases crammed with books, notes, and god knows what else.

"Huh…" Professor Elm jabbed a pen into his pocket protector-protected breast pocket. "Well, there should be more Pokemon running around here somewhere." Elm didn't seem to notice the Cyndaquil quietly nibbling the bottom of his lab coat.

Kotone suppressed a laugh. "I can help you find them. How many of each kind do you have?"

"I'm not sure. I know I have enough…I would never disappoint the Minamoto clan; your Champions have helped me make great progress in Pokemon research. I would never disappoint you!" Kotone wanted to point out that she had never even implied a failure on his part, but refrained.

"Well, do you have something we can use to lure the other Pokemon out, like food? And do you have some sort of containment area for the Pokemon we catch?" Elm squinted at Kotone as if he didn't quite understand her.

"Hm…Probably, somewhere. Well, I'll deal with that later…" And with that, the Professor sprung back with the boundless energy that guided him in his research. "You have a choice between three Pokemon; the fire type, Cyndaquil; the water type, Totodile; and the leaf type, Chikorita. You'll most likely share the strongest bond with this Pokemon, so choose wisely. This Pokemon will-"

"Chikorita! I chose Chikorita." Kotone resigned to her fate.

"Good! That's step one. Step two is finding the Pokemon in this mess…Here's Chikorita's Pokeball, there should be only one Chikorita running around." Handing her the Pokeball, which she immediately tucked away, Elm finally noticed the Cyndaquil nibbling away at his lab coat. With a yelp, he jerked the lab coat out of the disappointed Cyndaquil's mouth.

"Stop doing that! Ok, Kotone…This will be your first bonding experience with your Pokemon. Find the Chikorita in this room!" Elm leaped into a door leading into one of the many side rooms. "I'll be in here if you need me!" He slammed the door.

'_He's probably looking for a new lab coat' _thought Kotone as she surveyed the room. The large space held at least twelve desks, eighteen bookshelves, and more notebooks and loose papers than she could ever possibly count. The desks and bookshelves formed a sort of semi-complicated maze, with plenty of hiding spaces for sneaky Pokemon.

Kotone sighed, annoyed that she couldn't somehow use the four Pokemon she already had. The Cyndaquil squealed at her, so she bent down to pick it up. It fit perfectly in her arms and sat there, content.

Kotone kicked aimlessly at a few piles of books, unsure of what to do. She wandered around the Lab for a few minutes until she heard the distinctive _Chic _of a Chikorita. Reluctantly, Kotone placed Cyndaquil on a desk before leaning down to inspect her findings. She could hear the rustlings of a nearby Pokemon scurrying on tiny legs through the wreckage of papers. Kotone noticed a path of stepped-upon papers under the desk that trailed further than she could see.

Sighing, Kotone gave Cyndaquil some random papers to nibble (she knew it probably wasn't a good idea, but decided even the most unusual Professor wouldn't leave extremely important papers lying on the floor) before crawling under the desk to hunt the Chikorita.

She ended up slithering under four more desks and creeping around a few bookcases before locating the Chikorita behind a particularly large bookcase.

It gave a peep of surprise when it saw Kotone. Startled upon the realization that she was finally seeing one of her Pokemon for the first time, she waved uncertainly. She coaxed the Chikorita into her lap, and a warm feeling of relief washed over her when the Chikorita settled down. Kotone smiled. Although she wouldn't consider a Chikorita a particularly powerful Pokemon, she already felt bonded to this one.

Just as she was about to stand up and find Professor Elm, all hell broke loose.

_Life changes suddenly and unexpectedly._

Some sort of explosion went off outside, breaking the windows and filling the room with smoke. Kotone clutched the whimpering Chikorita closer to her chest, as a Totodile shrieked somewhere behind her. Professor Elm burst out of the side room in time to see the papers disturbed by the explosion settle.

He let out a cry as a bomb throw into the room exploded near him, releasing a gas that knocked him unconscious in seconds.

Kotone cautiously edged her head around the bookcase to catch a glimpse of the attacker without revealing her presence.

A boy around her age climbed through the broken window, his tilted smirk seeming to take over most of his face.

The sun bounced off his red, shoulder-length hair as he stumbled towards the cowering Cyndaquil.

* * *

Cliffhanger! 10 points if you can guess who it is in a review…

Since the first five or so chapters are already written, updates should be pretty quick. I intend to release a new chapter every week or every other week, just to give myself time to write the rest of the story. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and see you soon!


	2. Meeting the Team

**AN:**

Thank you all for the support, especially kitsunelover300, Tomboy15103, and my anonymous reviewers for reviewing! You in particular have encouraged me to continue posting this story.

I'm posting this chapter on the same day as I post a one-shot called _Glassy-Eyed Barbie Doll Monster_ centering around Ethan. Both contain Professor Elm, and he is a disorganized mess in both of them. I'm not sure if that's canon, but it seems right somehow. In other news…Now that I'm in summer mode, I can actually finish this story and hopefully also _Spiraling Downfall of the Deus Ex Machina. _I need to remember to not start stories during the school year.

Just a disclaimer – despite the discomfort in this chapter, there is no molestation, rape, etc. I'll change the rating to T just in case.

As mentioned previously, I take certain liberties with Pokemon legends, abilities, and the Pokemon themselves to enhance the story.

* * *

_ Just as she was about to stand up and find Professor Elm, all hell broke loose._

Some sort of explosion went off outside, breaking the windows and filling the room with smoke. Kotone clutched the whimpering Chikorita closer to her chest, and a Totodile shrieked somewhere behind her. Professor Elm burst out of the side room in time to see the papers disturbed by the explosion settle. He let out a cry as a bomb throw into the room exploded near him, releasing a gas that knocked him unconscious in seconds. Kotone cautiously edged her head around the bookcase to catch a glimpse of the attacker without revealing her presence. A boy around her age climbed through the broken window, his tilted smirk seeming to take over most of his face.

The sun bounced off his red, shoulder-length hair as he stumbled towards the cowering Cyndaquil.

His smirk grew as he neared the Cyndaquil. Flames shot up on Cyndaquil's back in defense, but the young man pulled a water bottle out of his bag and emptied it on the Cyndaquil, putting out the fire. Cyndaquil let out a defiant cry and scrambled off of the desk. Lunging after his target, the young man hastily drew a second black bag from a side compartment on his first bag as he grabbed one of the Cyndaquil's back legs.

Kotone stirred. A terrified glance around the room revealed a telephone some distance behind her. Kotone doubted she could reach the phone without the intruder noticing, but knew she had to do something. Going head on with the intruder wasn't an option; he'd knock her flat in seconds.

Chikorita nudged her, reminding Kotone that she had a partner in this odd situation. She looked down, and the sight of Chikorita curled into her body and the bookcase in front of them gave Kotone an idea.

Trusting the man was too occupied with forcing Cyndaquil into the bag to notice, Kotone hastily whispered instructions to her Pokemon.

"Sneak over to the bookcase right next to him. Be very quiet, and don't let him see you. When you're there, quietly move a stack of papers to the left of the bookcase to signal that you made it. I'll give the order for you to Tackle the bookcase. If we do this correctly, we can save Cynaquil. Okay?"

Oddly obedient, Chikorita nodded in determination, then wriggled its way through the chaos to its destination.

A detached part of Kotone noted with excitement that she was giving her first order to a Pokemon and sought to etch each word into her memory, but the urgency of the situation dulled it.

Nervous, Kotone removed her bag from her shoulder and set it on the ground next to her. The last thing she needed was her bag to catch on a desk when she made her frantic dash to the phone. She couldn't use the Pokemon in there for the time being anyway; she wouldn't dare risk calling upon the powers of Pokemon that might not obey her when every second and move counted.

Meanwhile, the young man had managed to contain Cyndaquil in the bag and was busily tying the bag shut. Kotone gritted her teeth. If Chikorita took too long, her plan would fail. Cyndaquil seemed to still be putting up a good fight, as its constant kicks slowed its captor down. Just as the man secured the bag and turned back towards the windows, Kotone saw a stack of papers appear to the left of the bookcase; Chikorita had reached its goal! Adrenaline frying her fears, Kotone bounced up.

"TACKLE!"

The man whipped around, searching for the source of the voice. Just as his piercing eyes locked on Kotone, the bookcase fell on him, tearing a cry from his lips as he went crashing down.

Kotone prayed Cyndaquil hadn't been hurt as she dashed to the phone. She pounded the police's number into it, the cries and grunts from under the bookcase worrying her. Chikorita climbed onto the bookcase, spinning the leaf on its head.

"H-hello? I'm at Professor Elm's Lab. A guy set off some sort of device that blew up the windows a few minutes ago. Then he knocked the Professor out with some kind of gas."

Kotone's mental congratulations to herself cut short when she noticed a hand extend from under the bookcase.

_'Oh god. That's not going to hold him.'_

"H-he didn't see me, and he tried to steal a Cyndaquil." A second hand appeared, unnerving her and causing her to grip the phone tighter.

It killed her to know she had almost an entire Pokemon team stored away in her bag, yet couldn't use any of them.

"I got a bookcase to fall on him and then called you guys." Two arms slid forward, pulling the rest of his body forward with them. His head popped out, rage etched in his features. His eyes swirled around until they found Kotone, at which they hardened. Her legs jittered backwards without her command, desperation sharpening the fear in her voice.

"And now, he's crawling out from under it! Help!" Effortlessly, with the deliberation of someone who already knew how the next crucial few seconds would play out, he dragged his torso and legs out of the wreckage, grunting slightly. Chikorita squealed and ran for cover as he straightened up and bolted for Kotone, who screamed.

She only managed a few steps before he caught her, his fingers burning into her shoulders.

He spun her around and tauntingly threw her on the desk, eliciting another scream. He pinned both her hands above her head to the desk with one strong hand, her legs dangling off the other side. Kotone struggled to free her hands, but he merely tightened his grip. His other hand rested threateningly on her waist, reminding her he'd just catch her again if she tried to escape.

He leaned over her, red hair casting shadows across his face. "Who are you and what are you doing here? Are you a research assistant?" He demanded gruffly; his voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't been using it much recently.

Kotone said nothing, fear destroying her ability to speak. The young man frowned, eying his catch up and down with the appraising gaze of a salesman. "I can't just leave you here…You're coming with me until I figure out what to do with you."

He jerked her into a sitting position, then fiddled around one-handed in his bag for something. Realizing what was happening, Kotone tried to kicked at him, but he turned her so her legs were facing away from him and held her arms behind her back with his other hand.

Kotone finally found her voice and began screaming, for lack of a better plan, to which he stopping searching through his bag. He pulled her into his chest and grabbed her jaw from behind. His chin crashed onto her shoulder as he growled "Be quiet" into her ear.

Aware she was completely at his mercy, Kotone panicked. Where was Chikorita? The timid Pokemon seemed to have hidden somewhere and abandoned her…Better yet, where were the police? New Bark Town was a quiet place without its own police force, but it shouldn't take police from the neighboring Cherrygrove City so long to arrive…

Having managed to extract a rope from his bag, the young man quickly bound Kotone's hands behind her back and to her torso. He grabbed her elbow and dragged her over to the fallen bookcase. With no visible qualms, he suddenly shoved her to the ground, earning a cry.

He dug the bag with Cyndaquil in it out from under the bookcase in time to grab Kotone as she tried to escape. His nails dug into her, branding her, and she shivered at the thought of what he could do to her.

She needed a plan, something to save her. _'Where the hell is Chikorita?!'_ Kotone's eyes scanned the room for the green Pokemon, eventually landing on a blue tail lying innocently on the floor a few feet in front of them.

_'Totodile!'_

Thinking quickly, she kicked over a stack of books, frightening the Totodile. Totodile jumped into their path, eyes landing on the young man's legs directly in front of it. Totodile instantly attacked them, clawing and growling. He jumped in surprise, releasing Kotone.

She immediately fell to the floor, rolled under a desk, and tried to scramble away, determined to escape her attacker. After kicking the Totodile away, a frustrated grunt issued from the man at his captive's disappearance.

For one terrifying second, he bent down towards the desk, finger swiping wildly for his prize, but froze at the sound of police sirens in the distance.

He instantly vanished out the window, leaving behind only a tied up Kotone and the absence of Cyndaquil as proof of his presence.

* * *

Later...

Kotone thanked the police officer again, who smiled before scurrying away to discuss the case with colleagues. Chikorita chirped at her heels as Kotone walked out of Elm's Lab. She lingered in front of the building, overwhelmed by the day's events. The youth with red hair had escaped without leaving any clues.

Professor Elm had been revived by hospital staff and forced into a hospital visit to see if the gas could have had any unseen effects on his health while Kotone had been interviewed by the police force. She hadn't been able to provide much more than a description and the townsfolk had failed to noticed anything suspicious. Kotone looked down. The places where he had touched her still burned…

Kotone tried to clear her thoughts as she headed towards Route 29 and Cherrygrove City, by extension. She had other things to worry about, such as her new Pokemon team, yet she couldn't help but wonder what he was planning. She didn't even know his name, but she knew the Clan would most likely advise her to stay away from him. The Clan generally approved of rivals, as competition tended to prove itself beneficial to growth, but outlaws?

Worse of all, he had her dream Pokemon. What would a man capable of grabbing her so violently and kidnapping her merely because she had been there do to a Pokemon that displeased him?

In the recesses of her mind, the Cyndaquil's cry echoed and rebounded, colliding and bouncing off of the the wish of her childhood…  
_  
_The Cyndaquil in her dreams, the one Kotone had always imagined would one day be hers, drifted into her head now, only this time the gentle glow of its flames were offset by the harsh red hair of the crooked Trainer lurking ominously behind it.

Although Kotone wouldn't realize it until much later in her Pokemon Journey, this image cemented him as a symbol of something much larger in her mind.

Right there, on the shady path spiraling into cities, caves, and the unknown, all lined with Trainers, Kotone swore with Chikorita as her witness to hunt the thief down, reobtain the lost Cyndaquil, and take revenge on the perpetrator.

Of course, she had plenty of time to work out the details of her revenge; she needed to become strong first.

Kotone's eyes drifted to Chikorita, who gazed up at her with childlike eagerness. The leaf on its head twirled, partially diffusing Kotone's contemplations.

"Chikorita…We'll go after that man someday, but we aren't strong enough yet."

"Chik!" Already in tune with its Trainer, Chikorita nodded.

The ends of Kotone's lips turned upward. "For now, let's just get to know the rest of our team. More Minamoto Trainers could walk by at any time, and I don't want them to distract us or something…How about we venture into the trees and look for somewhere more private before we continue?"

"Chik!"  
_  
_With that, Kotone's wandering took upon a point as she tried to find a secluded spot. After fifteen minutes of searching, she and Chikorita stumbled into a small clearing a bit away from the main path.

Excited, Kotone retrieved the four Pokeballs from her bag and placed them on the ground, leaving Chikorita's Pokeball inside. No crazy thief could take this moment away from her.

Upon examination, three of the Pokeballs had labels – _Water_, _Rock/Ground_, and _Normal_. Kotone frowned.

Kotone turned to the unlabelled Pokeball, already aware of its contents. She threw it halfheartedly, and sure enough, a Porygon-Z popped out and zoomed around the clearing, curious about its surroundings.

The symbol of her Clan, given to all Clan members, was both a blessing and a curse. Rumor had it that every member received a hacked Porygon-Z, a Porygon-Z capable of spying on its Trainer for the Clan by sending images and videos to a supercomputer hidden far away in the Minamoto quarters.

Regardless of the truth of the rumors, many a Trainer had turned around only to come face-to-face with the chilling stare of the two glassy black and yellow pools that bordered its blue nose, gears noisy grinding inside its bird-shaped body.

Even former Champions were said to keep the thing inside its Pokeball as much as possible.

Almost as if sensing her thoughts, the Porygon-Z flew suddenly to Kotone's side. It observed her silently, hidden mechanisms whizzing. She gingerly petted its head, and it flapped its arms appreciatively.

Kotone smiled. Even if it were bugged, it was a handy Pokemon, basically a computer that could fight. Smaller and lighter than her, every Porgon-Z had a telephone, a map, and a Pokedex already downloaded onto it. Kotone had even heard of some Trainers installing Facebook on their Porygon-Zs.

She played with Porygon-Z for a bit, then Chikorita joined it. She and Chikorita played tag, but Porygon-Z seemed to not understand, instead preferring to ram into the other two at random intervals and gave a them a quizzical look when they stopped playing the game.

Deciding to get back to business, Kotone sat down, leaning back on her hands for support. Chikorita instantly plopped down next to her, and Porygon-Z hovered in their general direction, eyes wide. Kotone addressed her team.

"Okay! There don't seem to be any problems between us…We still have an Egg and three other Pokemon on our team." She gestured towards the three Pokeballs. "The others three are there. I think we should pick one of them to come out and meet us." Chikorita nudged at the Pokeball labeled _Normal _while Porygon-Z, uninterested in the events, began pecking at a tree.

Kotone nodded, grateful for Chikorita's input. She delicately picked up the Pokeball. "Okay, let's see what's in here…Go, Kisses!" Kotone threw the Pokeball.

White light came out, forming a small creature. A few red and blue circles appeared on its body, along with a pair of wings. The Togetic flapped its wings, sending it into the air.

Kotone's heart sank. Togepi evolved into Togetic due to adoration for its Trainer; how could she, a newbie, compete with the close bond to a Trainer Togetic had already experienced?

Togetic seemed to be thinking along the same lines. A multiple of glowing, green leaves appeared out of its body, and with a _"Tic!"_, the attack rained down on Kotone and her Pokemon. Yelping, Kotone protected her face at the expense of her hands getting scratched up.

The Togetic huffed, staring at Kotone as if daring her to give a command.

Determined to gain control of her Pokemon, Kotone stood up slowly. She approached the seething Togetic without breaking eye contact. Chikorita peeped nervously while Porygon-Z turned to gaze indifferently at the action.

Kotone stood mere feet away from Togetic, the two at eye level. She gave a soft smile, which received no response. "Hi…I'm Kotone Minamoto." Togetic darted suddenly to the left, flickering behind a tree and cutting her off.

_'Maybe it just wants to play?' _Encouraged that it was no longer attacking, Kotone raced after her Pokemon, seeking a bonding opportunity. She reached out to stroke its body, which turned out to be the wrong move. The Togetic screeched and flew at Kotone, knocking her to the ground.

"Chic!" Chikorita ran to Kotone, kicking the Togetic's Pokeball towards her. Togetic began firing up another attack, enraged. Kotone grabbed the ball and quickly recalled Togetic, cancelling the attack.

Chikorita and Kotone stared at each other, an awkward silence filling the air in Togetic's absence. Kotone rubbed the top of her hat. "Well…It would probably be best to leave that Pokemon alone for now. I mean, it's not like I have any Badges right now or anything. Togetic is probably used to a more powerful Trainer…I guess I have to prove myself first, then maybe it will be willing to train with me. I still have you though, right?"

"Chic!" Chikorita nodded dutifully. They both turned to Porygon-Z, who had gone back to happily pecking at a tree.

_'Well, at least someone's enjoying themselves….'_

Chikorita and Kotone turned back to each other. "Are you hurt?" Chikorita shook its head. "Good."

Kotone walked back to her bag. Although she considered Togetic a "cute" gimmicky Pokemon, it could certainly pack a punch; once under control and evolved into a Togekiss, it would become a substantial threat to other teams. She didn't particularly like that her team would include both the Normal-type Porygon-Z and the Normal/Flying-type Togekiss, but she could deal with it.

She leaned down and placed the Togetic's Pokeball in her bag, aware it would be quite some time before they saw each other again. Three Pokeballs lay on the ground, two still unopened. Her eyes wandered to the Pokeballs marked _Rock/Ground _and _Water._

She wasn't off to a terrible start, but the energy and power within them could make or break her team. The Pokemon Egg in her bag – a Pokemon locked up far away, yet so crucial to her future - sent off a pulsating aura Kotone could feel, its potential swirling and dancing with promise. Kotone turned breathlessly to her Chikorita.

"So, which Pokeball should we try next?"

* * *

**AN: **

For whatever reason, I see Silver as a complete creeper at the beginning of the story.

I can't wait to get this introductory stuff out of the way so things can actually happen!**  
**

Anyone want to try to guess her Pokemon? As always, thanks for reading!


End file.
